Tracheostomy tubes are conventionally used to bypass obstructions in the trachea or provide a direct respiratory route to assist the respiration of the recipient of the device. A tracheostomy tube can be inserted through an incision in the trachea to provide respiratory access to the patient.
Early tracheostomy tubes were normally comprised of a single tube that required diligent care to prevent the obstruction of the airway by body fluids or mucous materials. In the event the single tube became clogged or obstructed, the tube would have to be removed and reinserted. This would require the attention of a doctor and an interruption in assisted respiration if the patient was receiving respiratory aid by means of a respirator.
In light of the problems with single tube tracheostomy devices, there are now tracheostomy tubes that have two concentric cannulae. Respiration normally passes through the inner cannula and in the event of a blockage in the tracheostomy tube, the inner cannula can be removed and cleared while the outer cannula provides a clear airway for the patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,569,612 Shiley et al. is typical of such a device where an inner and an outer cannula are placed within the trachea of the patient. The inner cannula may be connected to a respirator if respiratory assistance is required. If the inner cannula is obstructed, it can be removed from the outer cannula and the obstruction thereafter extracted from the inner cannula. During the time the inner cannula is removed, the patient breathes thorugh the outer cannula. No provision is made for attaching a respiratory to the outer cannula so that the patient may receive respiratory assistance while the inner cannula is removed.
A further problem with prior art devices is patient comfort. Preferably, the insertion of a tracheostomy tube into the trachea of the patient should provide as little discomfort as possible. Prior art devices being inherently rigid and unyielding do not meet the comfort requirements of the patient. While the prior art does include a flange that is vertically pivoted about the outer cannula, there is still a need to improve the adaptability of such devices to the various anatomical configurations of patients receiving tracheostomy tubes.